Grain-drying apparatus.



PATBNTBD SEPT. 19, 1905 AIR. HAGNER. GRAIN DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.21, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED SEPT.19,1905.

A. R. HAGNER. GRAIN DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Nox/.21, 1904.

Wne'sses,

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.r

ALEXANDER R. HAGNER, OF HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND.

GRAlN-DRYING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application iiled November 2l, 1904. Serial No. 233,587.

and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Grain-Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to adrying apparatus for grain-bins, and has forits object to provide a simple device by means of which air maybe-thoroughly distributed through the grain while the latter is beingagitated or churned and the drying operation thereby quicklyaccomplished.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, in which- Figure lillustrates a central vertical section through the drying apparatus andthe air-distributing cylinder, the section being taken on the line l lof Fig. 5. Fig. 2 is a similar view, on an enlarged scale, of one end ofthe air-distributing cylinder and the adjacent supporting-wall. Fig. 3illustratesa vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 6 and shows a sideelevation of one of the circumferential air-chambers having' a pluralityof air-compartments. Fig. i illustrates a perspective view' of one ofthe radial supports orv plates for separating the compartments in theair-chambers and to which the side plates or screws are attached. Fig. 5illustrates a sectional plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 6 illustrates aperspective view of the air-cylinder detached and the circumferentialairchamber, and Fig. 7 illustrates a detail side elevation of theagitating shafts and arms at the side of said chamber.

Referring to the drawings by letters-,'A designates a receptacle of anysuitable construction, but in the present instance having ahopper-receptacle c, provided with a discharge-outlet c2, which iscontrolled by a slide a3. A bottom a is provided, which is interposed'between the main receptacle and the hopper-receptacle.

At'opposite sides thewalls of the receptacle A are provided Withopenings b, and a bearing-plate 6' is secured to said Walls over saidopenings, and each plate is provided with an opening b2 through whichair may pass. A horizontal shaft c is supported at opposite ends in saidbearing-plates b, and said shaft is provided with a pulley c3, which maybe revolved in any suitable manner. A plurality of arms c' are suitablycarried by said shaft andsaid arms support fan-blades c2, in the presentinstance four in number, which revolve with said shaft.

A hexagonal frame comprises' two end plates d, each of which has acenter perforation d and a plurality of horizontal rods cl2, angular incross-section, which connect said plates. A Wire-sheet screen c iswrapped in sections around the hexagonal frame and forms anair-distributing cylinder e', in which the fan is located. By referenceto Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that thisdistributing-cylinder e extends from one side of the main receptacle tothe other and its ends terminate in the circular openings b in thereceptacle-walls, so that the perforations d' in the end plates adjoinor are at the side of the openings b2 in the bearing-plate Z2. By meansof this arrangement air may be drawn through the openings 722 andperforations 0l' tothe interior of the distributing-chamber in which`the fan-blades revolve.

The wire-sheet screen e is wound in sections around the horizontal rodscl2, as clearly seen in Fig. 6, with an annular space c2 between eachtwo adjacent sections. This annular space is to be utilized to permitthe air from the interior of the fan-cylinder e to be directed readilythrough the receptacle A, as will now be described.

Projecting outwardly from each of the rods Z2 is a support ordivision-platef, which in the present instance has a square perforatedlower end, so as to fit over the square rod to prevent turning thereon,so that said supports or plates will be rigidly maintained in a radial"position with respect to the fan-shaft c. The

outer projecting end of each division support or. plate is provided witha lateral ange or flat face f for a purpose to be presently described.In the drawings six horizontal rods are shown, and each is provided withradiallyprojecting division-plates.

A screen-band f2 is passed around the outer ends of all the radialsupports or divisionplates and rests on the fiat faces, and flatsheetscreens f3 and f4 have hexagonal central perforations g, which iitsnugly around the cylinder c at opposite sides of the divisional platesand form a circumferential or annular chamber with a plurality ofradially-arranged air-spaces g between each two divisional plates. Theseair-spaces, it will be understood, are open at the ,inner ends betweenthe horizontal rods d2 and are in direct communication with theinterior' offthe fan-cylinder, so

IOO

that air may pass freely from said cylinder into each radial air-space.It will also be noted that the divisional plates being imperforateentirely separate one air-space from another. By reference to Figs. l,6,-and 7 it will be seen that the fan-cylinder in the present instanceis provideclwith three sets of radial air-spaces, each set beingspacedfrom the other, so as to form a plurality of verticallyextendinggrain-.spaces g2. In practice the air-spaces-are about six inches inwidth. As the grain is discharged into the receptacle A itwill iillupfrom the bottom a in the spaces g2 and y around. the screen e of.' thefan-cylinder, and the grain .contacting ,with the screensk e, f2, f3,and f4 will quickly become dry,

while the grain farther awayfrom said screens- \vould.not receive thedirect air, andwould therefore'y be comparatively slow in= drying.Inorder toovercome this and enable practically the. entire bulkofgraintobesubjected to thedirect-air, l provide means for agitating the bulkand; shifting the grain continuously, so that. all of it. may receivethe bene-y fit. of the'direct air-current and the entire.v

bulk quicklydriedout. rlhis agitating device comprises a plurality ofvertical shafts 7L, 7L', .712., .and 7a3. In the present instance theseshafts are-arranged in setsor vertical. rows and :.eachirowbeingparallel with the fan-cylinder and one shaft of each rowextending;

vertically through one of the grain-.spaces g2.

Asthere are fourgrain-spaces, each rowcom-v a cover-plate t", in whichthey have bearing, and the projecting ends offall the .shafts carry.

bevel-gears y'. Horizontal shafts 71,75, 702, and

El extend, respectively, across the upper endsl ofthe shafts/t, 7L',7t2and 7b3, and these hori-4 zontal shaftseaeh carry four bevelfgears Z,which revolve in a vertical plane and are spaced so that those oneachshaftwill mesh with the bevel-gears y' on the vertical shaftsimmediately below. The outer ends of. the horizontal shafts extendbeyond-the side Wall of the receptacle A, and said ends each carrysprocket-Wheels m. The shafts 7n and are also provided withsprocket-wheelsmand a,

pulley 0 is also mounted on the end of the shaft-cwhich in this instancebecomes the main shaft. Avv sprocket-chain P passesover the sprockets/1tand transmits motion from the shaft 7a2 to shaft 7d. A sprocket-chain Pconnects the sprockets m on the shafts/tl and 7d, and a likechain .p2connects'the sprockets m on the shafts and .763.

It will thus be seen that all l vthe horizontal and vertical shafts aredriven by the pulley o on the shaft 702. The Vertical shafts areprovided with laterally-projecting arms q,.and said arms are staggeredso that the arms on one shaft will pass between the arms on the nextshaft in the same'grainspace. By this arrangement of shafts and arms ineach grain-space the grain will be thoroughly circulated and churned insaid spaces, and air passing from the fan-cylinder and radial air-spaces-will quickly dry the grain.

Beneath each grain-.space the bottom (this provided with a slide 7',which may be opened to-allow the dry. grain to discharge into thehopperI a and out through the outlet ft2.

Grain may be fed to the receptacle by a hopper @entering the top.

It will be understood thatthe fan-cylinder e and:radial wire-coveredair-spacesg are stationary and that the fan-shaft@ and blades arerevolved therein, drawing air, which may be first heated, if desired,through the openings 7J and perforations d to the interior of saidcylinder. The grain having been filled into the receptacle over andaround the cylinder and radial air-spaces,.the air from the fan willpass through the perforations in the screens of whichthe cylinder andair-spaces are formed, and as the vertical shafts are revol-vedtheradialarms will move in a horizontal plane through the grain and churnor agitate the latter, so that practically all of the grain in thereceptacle is subjected to the di rect air-blast. It willl thus be seenthat the drying of the grain may be quickly accomplished.- After thegrain is dry itwill bedischarged through the bottom slides and theyreceptacle again filled. It is obvious that the air may be heated, ifdesired.

Having thus fully described my invention, whatl' claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent` isl. The combination with astationary grainreceptacle, of astationary cylinder in said receptacle,annular air-chambers radiating'from and extending entirely aroundsaidcylinder and in communication with vthe interior of the latterandmeans at the side of each chamber for agitating the grain.

2. The combination with a stationary grainreceptacle, of a stationaryperforated cylinder in said receptacle, air-chambers extending entirelyaround said cylinder spaced from each. other to form a plurality ofgrain-spaces and revoluble agitating devices in each grain-space betweeneach two air-chambers.

3. The combination with a stationary grain-l receptacle, of aiperforatedcylinder in said re-' ceptacle, ya plurality of circumferential chambersaround and opening into the perforated cylinder and separated fromeachother to form vertical grain-spaces, the vertical walls of saidcircumferential chambersfbeing perforated, and a plurality ofgrain-agitators in lOO IOS

said grain-spaces and extending in a direction parallel with and betweenthe circumferential chambers.

4. The combination with a stationary grainreceptacle, of a stationaryperforated cylinder in said receptacle and having openings which extendaround the cylinder, parallel perforated walls extending at right anglesfrom said cylinder at said circumferential openings and formingair-chambers, a fan on the interior of said cylinder and revoluble grainagitators between said circumferential air-chambers.

5. The combination with a stationary grainreceptacle, of a stationary7perforated cylinder in said receptacle, a plurality of stationarysupports extending radially from said cylin- "der, perforated sheets ateach side of said supports and extending circumferentially around saidcylinder and forming radial air-spaces between each two supports, and aplurality of shafts extending through` the air-spaces at each side ofthe supports, and agitating-arms on said shafts.

6. The combination with a grain-receptacle, of a perforated cylinder insaid receptacle, parallel pairs of perforated sheets surrounding saidcylinder and extending at right angles to said cylinder and each pairforming an annular' air -chamber, which communicates with the interiorof said cylinder, afan in the interior of said perforated cylinder,shafts extending through the receptacle between the adjacent annular air-chambers, agitating-arms on said shafts and means for revolving saidshafts and arms.

7. -The combination with agrain-receptacle, of a perforated cylinder insaid receptacle, a fan in said cylinder, annular air-chamberssurrounding said perforated cylinder and forming parallel grain-spaces,shafts arranged in rows in said grain-spaces on each side of saidperforated cylinder, agitating-arms on said shafts, shafts extendingcrosswise of the ends of each row of shafts, and means for transmittingpower from said latter shafts to the agitator-shafts.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER R. HAGNER.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. OswALD, FRANK G. WAGAMAN.

